Strasburg shut down with Nationals on top
All-Star ace Stephen Strasburg is done for the year after the Washington Nationals decided to end his season following a shaky start, costing him a chance to possibly pitch in the playoffs.
Manager Davey Johnson made the announcement Saturday morning with the Nationals holding the best record in the majors. He said the media attention surrounding the innings limit for the 24-year-old right-hander was affecting the pitcher.
“I just told Stephen that his year is over. He’s had a great year. I know what he’s going through,” Johnson said. “The media hype on this thing has been unbelievable. I feel it’s as hard for him as it would be anybody to get mentally, totally committed in the ballgame. And he’s reached his innings limit. So we can get past this and talk about other things for a change.” Johnson said Strasburg was “emotional” about the decision to end his season immediately. A day earlier, the overall No. 1 pick from the 2009 draft matched a career low by lasting only three innings against Miami.
“I thought I had another start,” the right-hander said after the Nationals’ 7-6 win against Miami on Saturday. “It was pretty shocking and honestly, I’m not too happy about it.”
Strasburg went 15-6 with a 3.16 ERA in his first full season following elbow-ligament replacement surgery on Sept. 3, 2010. He struck out 197 in 1591⁄ innings.
Johnson said the decision was his, and pitching coach Steve McCatty and general manager Mike Rizzo were in agreement.
“He’s had a terrific season for us,” Rizzo said. “You couldn’t ask for anything more coming off his first season off of Tommy John surgery. He’s a huge part of where we’re at right now.”
Dodgers
Los Angeles center fielder Matt Kemp will miss at least the final two games of this weekend’s key series at San Francisco because of his troublesome left shoulder. Kemp was scheduled for an MRI exam using dye contrasting to give doctors a better idea of where he is hurt. His shoulder is still bothering him from a crash into the outfield wall Aug. 28 at Coors Field. Manager Don Mattingly expects Kemp to return this season.
Orioles
Right fielder Nick Markakis will be out for at least six weeks with a broken left thumb, the result of being hit by a pitch from New York Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia. The injury will keep him out of the remainder of the regular season and deep into the playoffs — should Baltimore qualify for its first postseason appearance since 1997.